The Perms “Sofia Nights”

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The Perms are a Winnipeg trio fronted by Shane Smith (bass, vocals) and assisted by Chad Smith (guitar, vocals) and John Huver (drums). It was clear that for the 5th album the band wanted a wilder atmosphere in the studio while keeping those power pop hooks intact. Starting with the anthemic “High School,” it plays a bit like Weezer, Blink 182 or Bowling For Soup on a nostalgic trip, singing “It’s alright if we party every night, cause tonight will last forever and we’re never gonna die.”  On “Make It Through” Chad’s vocal in the chorus screams out over the slow steady beat almost like Kurt Cobain. The more melodic “You I’m Thinking Of” is another big standout single, similar to The Smithereens – it sticks in your brain quiet nicely.

Another gem “Said And Done” is a great rock/pop composition, then “Slipping Away” goes back to the heavier Nirvana inspired rock. The remaining tracks don’t stick as well, but are plenty of fun – the Kiss inspired sing-along “Mannheim” and crunchy riffs on “Over and Over” are meant to be played loud. The fun factor in each of these songs lifts this album above the average. And that’s exactly why you should give it a listen.

CD Baby | Amazon

The Ditchflowers and Stratocruiser

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The Ditchflowers “Bird’s Eye”
Brain Merrill (Barely Pink) has a long history of great pop songwriting and this follow up to the debut Carried Away is a solid slice of adult contemporary power pop. “Sunshine Lifetime” is a soulful pop number that has a touch of Steely Dan. “You Could Hurt Someone” charms with its bouncy beat and quick paced chorus, similar to Squeeze – but a real winner is the subtle “Simple Guy” with its heartfelt lyrics about the sensitive artist trying to find himself.  The guitar composition builds layers of guitars and vocals, and then it comes to the atmospheric ballad “Rainout.” This song is a real standout with a Billy Joel meets Alan Parsons Project feel, with strings, backing vocals and guitars backing up Merrill’s perfect vocal performance. Although the second half of the album isn’t as strong, it still has plenty of great music. The title track has a nod to The Beach Boys,  and other notable tunes are “We Are The Time” and “Tuesday Is Dead.” Overall an excellent album that I highly recommend.

CD Baby | Amazon | Bandcamp | Itunes

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Stratocruier “The Spark”
After a series of EPs and successful KickStarter campaign, North Carolina’s Stratocruiser is back with its ringing guitars and Cheap Trick meets Kiss inspired approach. Opening with the title track, it reflects the rock aesthetic from the Thin Lizzy “Jailbreak” era with an inspired rhythm guitar arrangement. “Adult Situation” is great power ballad with big chord shifts and Clay Howard’s strong lead vocal. The band is much looser than previous releases, as the heavy prog-rock composition “Slush” lets its Black Sabbath influences out in the open. “Somebody’s Girlfriend” is a another standout, with Mike Nicolson doing a great job on multiple instruments. Matt Brown’s drumming and percussion are just as forceful. As with any vanity project, a few indulgences like the rock instrumental “Possession” are expected. Earlier singles like “Best Actress” standout against the heavier stuff here, and it looks like the “pop” side has taken a back seat to cowbell-heavy rock like on “Start Finishing.” As a bonus, power pop icon Robbie Rist contributes his guitar solo to the fast paced “Indian Summer.” Overall a great driving album to blast on the car stereo with the windows down. No real duds or filler here either, so its really a gift to fans who love melodic rock with a capital “R.”

Amazon | Itunes

No the video isn’t broken, the sound starts after 10 seconds of silence….

Broke* documentary trailer

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As a niche music genre, power pop musicians have been living the DIY life for many years now. So the fact that the major label model is dead is no longer news. But here it is documented with mainstream artist Will Gray through the recording and release of his debut album (featuring production by the Grammy-winning T Bone Burnett). Broke* chronicles the stories of artists and executives searching for ways to thrive in today’s music industry. The film digs beneath the clichés to reveal an industry struggling to find a new identity, and an artist who’s simply trying to establish one. My big problem is with the movie title. Too many documentaries have the same damn name! Like this and that! Anyway here is the real link.

Peter Baldrachi and Long Play 33 1/3

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Peter Baldrachi “Tomorrow Never Knows”
Boston singer/songwriter Baldrachi delivers his long awaited follow up to 2006’s “Solid Ground” and like his previous release, it’s worth the wait. As a respected IPO veteran, he blasts out the opening track “In The Dead Of Night” with a strong driving melody in the classic Matthew Sweet – Velvet Crush style. The jangling open on “Make It Our Own” gives way to excellent guitar breaks between each catchy chorus. “Promise Me A New Start” features backing vocalists Alice Austin and Amy Fairchild, and has a bit of country twang too. That twang carries through on “Pray For Rain,” and what impresses most is Baldrachi’s clear lyrical narrative. Each track is a winner, without any filler. More highlights include “Someone isn’t me” with it’s soaring harmonies and “Now For Good” with it’s compelling slide guitar riffs. And despite the fact that the title is named after a Beatles tune, there isn’t any homage here. But this is an album that deserves multiple listens on my ipod and a spot on my top ten list for 2011.

CD Baby | Itunes | Amazon

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Long Play 33 1/3 “Being Nowhere”
A group of Hungarian musicians with a longing for English-American pop and rock formed Long Play 33 1/3 in the second half of 2009. Lead by vocalist/guitarist István Békei, all the band members were part of tribute bands in Budapest (yes, including a Hungarian Beatles band called “Blackbirds”). They decided to do a full album of original compositions for Being Nowhere.The band takes many classic influences, but fans of 80s rockers Starship, Supertramp, The Allman Brothers, and Styx will spot a few similarities. “I’m Free” is a densely composed power rocker, full of multiple guitar riffs and glossy production style. One cannot deny the skill here on tracks like the Oasis styled “Peaceful Hideaway” and the beautiful guitar solos and harmonies  on “Ocean Inside.” The mastering is a bit spotty on “Wait For A While” as the production drowns out the lead vocals occasionally, but some nice strings and melodies highlight “Soulmates” and “On The Rush.” Overall a very inspired debut.

Bandcamp | Itunes | Amazon

The Bloodpoets and The Blam

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The Bloodpoets “Wings” EP
One more band from Australia – an alternative rock band with a light pop touch called The Bloodpoets. The duet of Tom Murphy and Becca Plath starts off with “Wings.” It starts calmly enough with a bit of edge toward the end of the song. Also notable here is “Sunny Day” with it’s slow ska rhythm and horns. The album highlight is the dramatic ballad turned rock anthem “She Feels It” as it all starts out very quiet and nondescript but then builds to a dense echoing rock melody. It’s a musically effective way to contrast the story of a woman’s chemical imbalance. The track also separates the slow ballad (“Next Year”) from the Nirvana-like guitar songs at the EPs end (“Faces On The Street” and “Dance”). Overall, very good although stylistically the Bloodpoets are a bit inconsistent. I expect the band will improve on it’s next release.

Facebook | Sanity.com | Amazon

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The Blam “Blow Wind Blow”
In the early 2000’s Brooklyn band The Blam were a getting lots of buzz, along with contemporaries like The Strokes and Interpol. Headed by singer/guitarist Jerry Adler (now of Flugente and Wave Sleep Wave) along with Reuben Maher (guitar), Itamar Ziegler (bass/vocals) and Yuval Lion (drums), it suddenly vanished before this final album released. Now the vault has opened, and we are treated to subtle tunes like “I Don’t Know” that showcase the spirit of Friends–era Beach Boys. To say the album is mellow is an understatement – but some beautiful songs are here like “See The Monkeys” and the Beatlesque “No Surprise.” The grinding guitars wake us up with “One Good Blow” but that’s about it. An intimate and mature work that I really enjoyed.

Amazon | Curbcut Records